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ESPN is giving audiences extra reason to tune in to Monday Night Football.

The network will debut the first full trailer for the forthcoming Stars Wars movie The Last Jedi during its Oct. 9 broadcast, which will see the Bears and Vikings face off under the lights. According to a news release from the network, the trailer will debut during halftime. Game coverage is currently scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

Details have been scant about the movie’s plot ever since the announcement that the movie was being made. What is known is that it picks up where The Force Awakens left off, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) locating Luke Skywalker. The trailer that has currently been made available hints that despite Luke’s reluctance, she convinces him to train her while also learning some deeply held secrets about the force and the Jedi.

Disney and Lucasfilm’s latest dive into the Star Wars universe, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is not the worst of the franchise’s efforts to be released to date. At the same time, it is hardly the franchise’s best effort, too. That is because the movie, which had been so highly anticipated by audiences and critics alike, has proven to have more problems than positives. The problems in question begin with story at the center of the movie. This will be discussed shortly. While the movie’s story poses some problems that cannot be ignored, the movie is not a total loss. The movie’s stylistic approach is deserving of at least some applause. Next to the movie’s soundtrack, led by legendary composer John Williams, it is the movie’s only other saving grace. Keeping this in mind, one more key critical point must be addressed here in the form of the movie’s pacing. This will be discussed later. Each element is important in its own right to the movie’s overall presentation. All things considered, they make Rogue One: A Star Wars Story reason for any true Star Wars devotee to be concerned about Disney’s direction with this franchise.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was touted by many as the franchise’s best entry to date. Sadly though, a thorough investigation of the movie’s overall presentation reveals it in fact has just as many problems as positives. The most obvious of the problems presented within this movie is its story. More specifically speaking, the story’s setup is its real problem. The story’s setup focuses on a young female with a checkered past leading a group of rebels to find the plans to the Death Star. Along the way, an Imperial pilot turned…well…rogue (enhancing the movie’s title even more) helps Jyn and company in their efforts. If that sounds familiar at all to anyone, it should. A very similar plot was used for Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ story. Given the female lead’s circumstances are different in the two stories as are the overall stories. That does serve to save this movie’s story albeit only slightly. However, there is no getting around the blatant similarities in the movies’ setups. Taking that into consideration one can’t help but see there is clearly a lack of effort in regards to the story’s setup; a lack of effort that so many audiences apparently refuse to see.

The setup that is used in Rogue One’s story is an item that cannot be ignored in examining this movie’s overall presentation. That is especially the case since the movies’ writing teams were separate from one another. While the story’s setup is clearly a problematic issue, the movie is not a total loss. The movie’s stylistic approach is deserving of its own share of applause. That is because it exhibits an obvious (and applause worthy) attempt to throw back to the stylistic approach of the franchise’s original trilogy. From the costumes to the scene transitions, it is clear that those behind the lens wanted to pay tribute to the original trilogy and those who grew up with those movies. That is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg that makes the movie’s stylistic approach so impressive. The final climactic battle scenes throw back to the franchise’s originally movies in their own right, too. That is exhibited as the X-Wings fly around the imperial attach vehicles and take them out and as the rebels on the ground fight imperial troops on foot. Of course some of the scene’s bigger, over-the-top moments throw back to similar scenes from so many WWII-era flicks. This takes away from the moment’s seriousness to a certain point. That, however, is a minor issue at most. Overall, the stylistic approach taken to this Star Wars story must be applauded. It shows an effort to bring back the look and feel of the franchise’s original installments while also pointing toward the franchise’s future. Hopefully that balance (which was visibly missing from The Force Awakens) will be more visible in the franchise’s next effort.

The stylistic approach of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the movie’s one saving grace. It shows a valid attempt to pay homage to the Star Wars franchise’s past and fans while also pointing to the franchise’s future. It does so in a balanced fashion, too. Sadly though, it is the only element that makes sitting through this 2-hour, 5-minute movie worth the effort. Speaking of the movie’s run time, that run time feels far longer than it actually is. That is due to the pacing established in the movie’s story. As noted, the movie runs just over two hours. The majority of that time—about 1 hour, 20-minutes—is spent building up to the eventual attack on the imperial facility containing the death star plans. On the positive side, it doesn’t waste too much of that time setting up Jyn’s story. It just spends most of that time sending her here, there and everywhere as she tries to find out her father’s message and then convince the rebels to go after the plans. Things move just as slowly as ever in the story’s final act after Jyn convinces Cassian and company to join the cause. Jyn and Cassian’s attempt to reach the plans, and the outcome thereof, seems to drag on almost endlessly especially as the battle outside the facility rages. Even after Jyn and Cassian finally get the plans (the climax), things don’t pick up much, leaving observant audiences scratching their heads, wondering when and if the story will finally end. It was as if the movie’s writing team couldn’t just leave well-enough alone. That continued slow boil right up to the movie’s way-over-the-top and overly cheesy final scene makes one wonder how one kept from fast forwarding through the movie well before then. When these pacing issues are taken into consideration with the obviously problematic setup to the movie’s story, they take greatly detract from the movie’s overall presentation. They take away so much from this movie that the movie’s stylistic approach becomes the only reason to give it a chance. All things considered, there is so much negative to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that true Star Wars devotees should be very concerned about the direction that Disney is potentially forcing Lucasfilm to take with their favorite franchise.

True Star Wars devotees should be genuinely concerned about the direction that their favorite franchise could potentially be taking after watching Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Though its stylistic approach throws back to the franchise’s original trilogy, its pacing and the undeniably unoriginal setup to the movie’s story do plenty to take away from the movie’s overall viewing experience. The story’s pacing makes its run time, which barely tops two hours feel far longer. The story’s setup is a near mirror image to the setup used in The Force Awakens. Keeping all of this in mind, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proves to be a story worth one watch, but honestly not much more. More information on this and other entries in the Star Wars universe is available online now at:

Star Wars is one of the biggest film franchises in Hollywood’s modern history. Ever since the franchise’s first movie debuted way back in 1977, it has proven to be anything but a niche property. It has generated no fewer than eight movies, multiple TV series, video games and more. Next month, another tribute to the Star Wars will be released in the form of the self-titled debut record from cosplay cover band Galactic Empire. The 11-song collection will impress Star Wars fans and fans of Powerglove, Trans Siberian Orchestra and other acts of that ilk. That is due in no small part to the songs chosen for the record. That will be discussed shortly. The songs’ arrangements are just as important to note in examining this record as the songs themselves. That will be discussed later. The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements. Each element plays its own important part in the record’s presentation. All things considered, Galactic Empire proves in the end to be an enjoyable covers collection and a fun first effort from the band from a galaxy far, far away.

Galactic Empire’s self-titled debut album is not a collection of original compositions. That aside, it is still an enjoyable experience that Star Wars fans will appreciate just as much as fans of Powerglove, Trans Siberian Orchestra, and others of that ilk. That is due in part to the songs chosen for the record. The 11 songs that make up the body of the record come from not just one of the franchise’s films but a number of them. ‘Main Theme’ and ‘Imperial March’ come from the franchise’s original trilogy. ‘The Force Theme’ has been incorporated into most of the franchise’s entries including The Force Awakens. The band even reaches back to the series’ “prequels” with ‘Duel of the Fates’ from Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Fittingly, the whole thing ends with the famed “Throne Room” theme from the end of Return of the Jedi. Between that and the rest of the songs featured here, it becomes clear why the songs collected for this record are so important to its presentation. They show the band wanted to reach as many of the franchise’s fans as possible, not just one specific audience. To that end, the band is to be commended. It is just one reason the band (and album) should be commended, too. The arrangements that are presented within the songs are just as important to note as the songs themselves.

The songs that make up the body of Galactic Empire’s debut album are in themselves key to its presentation. That is because they show the band aimed at as many of the franchise’s fans as possible. They are, collectively speaking, just one of the record’s key elements. The songs’ arrangements are just as important to note in examining the record’s presentation as the songs themselves. Listeners will note that while the arrangements are presented in a rock format, they stay largely true to the original compositions. Listeners will especially appreciate the way the band handled the beloved ‘Force Theme.’ It maintains that solemn vibe presented in the original composition, even despite being handed on guitar. On another note (no pun intended) one could argue the band’s take on ‘The Asteroid Field’ (from Star Wars Episode V) is even more exciting than the original symphonic composition with its guitar-driven sound. That is not to say that the original composition is bad by any means. In fact it is very enjoyable. Keeping that in mind and considering the record’s other arrangements, it is clear in listening to each arrangement why the arrangements in whole are so important to this record’s presentation. They are, again, just as important to note as the songs themselves, and are still not the only important pieces of the record’s whole. The record’s sequencing is just as important to note as its songs and their arrangements.

The songs presented in this record and their arrangements are both clearly important alone and collectively to the record’s presentation. As important as they are to the record’s presentation they are not its only key elements. The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements. It is clear in listening to the record from start to finish that a lot of thought was given to its sequencing. It begins with a bang with the franchise’s original theme. It ends with just as much of a bang with the song used at the end of the original trilogy’s final movie. In between, the energy rises and falls at all of the right points, thus keeping listeners fully engaged throughout. The record’s first three songs keep the energy high before things pull back a little in track 4, ‘The Force Theme.’ Things pick right back up with the record’s next two songs, ‘The Asteroid Field’ and ‘Battle of the Heroes’ before turning a little more light-hearted with the band’s cover of the famed song from the famed cantina scene in which Luke originally meets Han Solo. The energy and emotion rises and falls just as much in the record’s final songs. The end result is an experience that will keep listeners engaged and entertained just as much in that final group of songs just as much as any of the record’s other compositions. All things considered, the ups and downs are expertly balanced from beginning to end, guaranteeing an experience that listeners will enjoy and appreciate. Being that they will enjoy and appreciate that well-thought-out sequencing just as much as the record’s featured songs and their arrangements, listeners will agree that when all three elements are joined together, they make the record in whole a collection that Star Wars fans will appreciate just as much as fans of Trans Siberian Orchestra and Powerglove. They join together to make the record a fun first effort from Galactic Empire.

Galactic Empire’s self-titled debut record is a work that Star Wars fans will appreciate just as much as fans of Powerglove, Trans Siberian Orchestra and others of their ilk. As has been noted here, that is due in part to the songs that make up the body of the record. They pull from the franchise’s original trilogy and its prequels. Being that ‘The Force Theme’ is included in The Force Awakens, one could even argue to a point that even that movie is represented to a point. That shows that this musical cosplay collective wanted to reach as many Star Wars fans as possible with this collection. The songs’ arrangements stay largely true to the source material, even having been re-worked in a rock setting. Truly devoted Star Wars fans will appreciate that aspect of the songs. The sequencing rounds out the record’s most important elements. It is clear in listening to this record that a lot of thought was put into its sequencing. Each element is obviously important in its own right to the record’s presentation. All things considered, Galactic Empire proves, once more, to be a fun first effort from its namesake; a record that will take listeners easily to that galaxy far, far away with every listen. It will be available in stores and online on March 10 via Rise Records. More information on Galactic Empire is available online with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Cosplay rock outfit Galactic Empire will release its debut album Friday, February 3, 2017. The 11-song, self-titled record will be released via Rise Records. It will feature the band’s own take on a number of songs featured in LucasFilms’s Star Wars movies. Those movies are not limited to just the original trilogy of films. The franchise’s latest installment, The Force Awakens gets a nod on this record in ‘Ben’s Death: Tie Fighter Attack.’

Also included in the band’s upcoming album are ‘Imperial March,’ ‘The Asteroid Field,’ and other re-imagined songs from the famed franchise.

The band recently released a joint statement announcing the album’s upcoming album in a manner only the Empire could.

“AT LONG LAST! Our preparations are complete. The mighty Galactic Empire will unleash our ultimate weapon in the battle to bring heavy metal to your galaxy,” the band said. “The puny humans at Velocity and Rise Records have succumbed to the crushing power of the Dark Side and will release out debut full-length album on which we pay tribute to Supreme Sith Overlord John Williams with 11 tracks of pure sonic devastation. Join us, and together, we can rule the galaxy!”

The full track listing for the band’s upcoming album is noted below.

Track Listing:
01. Main Theme
02. Imperial March
03. Duel of the Fates
04. The Force Theme
05. The Asteroid Field
06. Battle of the Heroes
07. Cantina Band
08. Ben’s Death: Tie Fighter Attack
09. Across the Stars
10. The Forest Battle
11. The Throne Room: End Title

Forty years ago a little-known director named George Lucas started work on a movie by the name of Star Wars. A year after he started work on the movie it made its U.S. debut and has since gone on to be one of the biggest sci-fi movies of all time. It has also gone on to be one of the biggest movies in Hollywood’s modern history, making superstars of its lead cast, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher. The immediate supporting cast of Sir Alec Guiness, Peter Mahew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and David Prowse gained their own notoriety as a result of the movie. Though, Mahew and company sadly never really became as famous as Hamill, Ford, Fisher, Guiness, or Mahew. The same obviously applies to the hundreds of extras brought on board to help flesh out the movie’s universe. Now thanks to MVD Visual, Prowse and a handful of those others finally get to tell their stories in a new documentary titled Elstree 1976. This documentary feature is a powerful presentation that every Star Wars fan should see. That is due in part to its overall story. That will be discussed shortly. The work of those behind the program is just as important to note as the stories that make up the documentary’s presentation. Last of note is the documentary’s bonus material. Each element plays its own part in the documentary’s presentation. All things considered, they make Elstree 1976 a Star Wars documentary unlike any other to date. They make it one that every Star Wars fan should see.

Elstree 1976 is a Star Wars documentary unlike any other released to date. It is a presentation that every Star Wars fan should see. That is due in part to its overall story. The story in question is one of the now legendary movie’s lesser-known cast members. It is a story of actors who regardless of their roles, have never really gotten the credit that they deserve. It is powerful in its own right. That is because of the stark contrast of their lives to that of the movie’s famed lead cast. It will move viewers to laughter at some points, and emotional pain at others, believe it or not. The emotional pain is the result of the revelation of the stark contrast in the lives of the featured cast members to that of Hamill, Ford, and Fisher. One of the program’s most intriguing revelations is that of the hierarchy even among its supporting cast and extras. As audiences learn through the various stories, there is actually a divide among the movie’s supporting cast and extras involving who deserves to be at the Star Wars conventions and who doesn’t. It all depends on the place of said cast members in that hierarchy. The frustration felt between those cast members as a result of the noted hierarchy is interesting to say the very least. One would never have suspected its existence. But it is there. In an even bigger picture, the contrast of the lives of those behind some of the movie’s most iconic characters to those of Hamill, Ford, and Fisher is just as eye-opening. David Prowse is a prime example of the shocking nature of that contrast. Prowse was the man behind Darth Vader, not James Earl Jones. All that Jones did was read the lines originally assigned to Prowse in the movie’s production. According to Prowse’s own words, he didn’t even know until after the fact that his lines–that he had recited–were replaced by Jones in post production. He goes so far as to note that he thought his voice would still be the one behind the mask and was surprised by what had been done. And now decades later, Prowse is not even invited to a number of annual Star Wars conventions. He even notes that he doesn’t know why. So he has had to live life largely anonymously. His isn’t the only intriguing story. Paul Blake’s story is another interesting part of the documentary’s overall story. He is the man behind Greedo, the green alien shot by Han Solo in the cantina. Yet even as iconic as the scene has become, Blake’s name is hardly known in connection to Greedo. It is only thanks to the conventions that he has managed to build his fan base. Again, his story is a prime example of the contrast of the cast’s notoriety and lives. There are plenty of other stories shared throughout the program that serve to illustrate the stark contrast in the lives and fame of the movie’s cast. Altogether those stories make the documentary’s overall story one that will both surprise and move Star Wars fans of any age. It is a story that will put the movie into a whole new light for those fans and hopefully give fans a whole new respect for the movie’s lesser-known cast members. It is just one of the documentary’s most important elements. The work of those charged with bringing Elstree 1976 to life is just as important to note in its presentation as those interviewed to make up its story.

The stories that make up the overall body of Elstree 19976 are in their own right hugely important to the documentary’s presentation. That is because of the new light that they shed on the movie’s legacy. It also sheds a whole new light on the movie’s cast. That new light is certain to create a whole new respect among audiences for the movie’s lesser-known cast. It is just one part of what makes Elstree 1976 such an interesting program for Star Wars fans. The work that went into bringing the documentary to life is just as important to note as the program’s stories. That is because it is their work that audiences are really experiencing, not just the cast’s stories. The program starts a little bit slow, at first providing some background bio information on each of the featured actors. It seems unnecessary at first. But as the program progresses, audiences begin to see in hindsight the importance of all of the background information that is provided. Viewers are eventually taken behind the scenes of the movie’s production before eventually into the lives of those actors post Star Wars. The program’s editing plays its own role in the story, too. As each actor introduces his or her character, the editors present key footage from the movie that aligns with the actors’ main appearances. It serves to help viewers make a connection, especially if viewers are visual learners. Even the footage of the conventions is well placed within the related discussions by the actors in question. The whole thing comes full circle in the end with the return of the actors’ action figures with the actors discussing the legacy that they helped to create right along with that footage. It is a great way to complete the program and remind viewers that while these actors may not have the notoriety of Star Wars lead cast, they are still just as important to the movie as Hamill, Ford, and Fisher. There are plenty of other pieces that could be cited in explaining the importance of the documentary’s actual production. These are just some of the examples that can be cited in explaining its production. All in all, every element of the program’s production shows why it (the production) is as important to its presentation as its stories. Even as important as both elements are to this documentary’s presentation they are not its only important elements. The documentary also comes with bonus material in its special Blu-ray director’s cut. It rounds out the documentary’s presentation.

Both the stories that make up the body of Elstree 1976 and its production are important in their own right to the documentary’s presentation. The stories give a whole new angle to the bigger story of the movie’s creation and a new respect for the movie’s lesser-known cast. The production ensures just as much viewers’ engagement. As important as both elements prove to be in the bigger picture of the program they are not its only important elements. The program’s special Director’s Cut edition is available only on Blu-ray. It comes with a number of bonus features that are not available in the program’s DVD presentation. Why this is the case is anyone’s guess. It honestly would have been nice to see all of the bonuses included in the Blu-ray presentation also included in its DVD presentation. But that’s a moot point by now. The bonus material in question includes feature-length commentary from filmmaker John Spira, extended interviews with the cast members, and best of all a tour of Elstree Studios (thus the program’s title) where Star Wars was filmed. Each extra is fully deserving of being called a bonus in its own right. Altogether they give an even deeper look at the Star Wars legacy. They couple with the program’s stories and overall production to make the program in whole one that, again, every Star Wars fan should see at least once. It may not take fans to a galaxy far, far away. But it will definitely broaden the horizons of the Star Wars galaxy.

Elstree 1976 is hardly the first Star Wars documentary to ever be released. It is however a documentary unlike any ever released about the legendary sci-fi flick. That is because as its stories make clear, it is focused not on the movie’s celebrity cast but those that brought some of the movie’s most beloved characters to life, yet were hardly as acclaimed as Hamill, Ford, or Fisher. The stories presented in this documentary will leave fans seeing the movie and its cast in a whole new light. They will keep viewers engaged, entertained, and enlightened. The program’s production ensures viewers’ engagement just as much as its stories. This includes its pacing, editing and even writing. The bonus material included in the program’s limited edition Director’s Cut Blu-ray presentation brings everything full circle. It would have been nice to have that material included in the program’s DVD presentation, too. But that just wasn’t to be. So that aside, the bonus commentary, Elstree Studios tour, and extended interviews prove to be just as engaging for fans as the program’s main material. It comes together to bring the program in whole and complete its presentation. Each element is important in its own right. There is no denying this. Collectively though, they make Elstree 1976 a presentation that will definitely broaden the horizons of the Star Wars galaxy. It will be available Tuesday, June 28th and can be ordered online direct via MVD Visual’s online store. More information on this and other titles from MVD Visual is available online now at:

Veteran kindie rock band Recess Monkey released its latest full-length studio effort Hot Air last week. The twelfth full-length release from the Seattle, Washington-based trio, it is one of the band’s best works to date. That is thanks in large part to the mix of its indie-rock style musical content and its original lyrical topics. From a song about the joy of taking in a thunderstorm to an equally entertaining piece about speaking “penguin-ese” to a piece that every Star Wars fan ou there (yes, the band even has a song centered on the Star Wars universe), and more Hot Air proves from start to finish just what makes it such a fun record and even one of the year’s best new children’s records.

Nearly a year to the day after it released its 2014 album Wired, Recess Monkey has released its twelfth full-length album Hot Air. Twelve albums is a lot for any musical act regardless of genre. For any musical act to maintain its creativity, energy, and originality over such a span is just as much of a feat. Somehow though, the members of Recess Monkey–Drew Holloway (vocals, guitar), Jack Forman (bass, keys), and Korum Bischoff (drums)–have managed to do just that. That is clear in the songs that make up Hot Air. The album’s mix of indie-rock musical styling coupled with its original, creative lyrical topics will have listeners of all ages enjoying it from start to finish, even singing along (and maybe even dancing along, too). One of the songs that serves to prove this is the album’s song about the joy of thunderstorms, ‘Thunder & Lightning.’ While not the first song ever crafted about thunderstorms, the band’s approach to the song makes it stand out quite well among those other songs. The band wastes no time jumping right into the song, offering up an up-tempo piece set against the rumbling of thunder. What’s really interesting here is that the band uses not only an up-tempo musical backing for the song, but plays in a major tone, too. Even more interesting of the song’s musical side is that one could actually call it avante garde to a point. That is because of its non-standard style especially in its verses. This seems minor on the surface. But on a deeper level, it helps lay a positive foundation for the song. It’s not the standard emotional approach used by so many other children’s entertainers in handling the subject. Nor is it an ominous sound. Rather it is somewhat playful for lack of better wording. It is a really smart approach used by the band in this song. Holloway sings over that upbeat foundation, “The sky is a canvas for each lightning bolt/It’s painted so lovely and it gives me a jolt/Yeah, hear a big old rumblin’ all across the sky/Watch it light up like the fourth of July.” The picture painted by Holloway as he sings is not one of something ominous or scary but rather one of something truly incredible to behold. The lightning bolts are equated to giant electrical paint brushes (doesn’t that sound like the name for some kind of indie garage rock band?) that paint their way across the canvas of the sky. It’s a great way to both get young listeners to appreciate the beauty and power of storms and show them that there’s no reason to fear storms. Being such a multi-faceted song, it proves quite well within itself to be one of Hot Air’s best tracks and just one example of why Hot Air is one of Recess Monkey’s best LPs to date.

‘Thunder & Lightning’ is within itself one of the best songs included in the body of Hot Air. It also proves in the grand scheme of things to be one piece proving what makes Hot Air one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date. It’s just one song that proves both arguments. The album’s lead single, ‘Penguinese’ also serves to show that Recess Monkey still has not lost its touch or its originality and creativity even twelve albums in. The song is about exactly what one might think. It is a fun, nonsensical piece about learning to speak “Penguinese,” the supposed language of penguins. It’s such a nonsensical song, yes. Yet it is that nonsensical approach that makes it so fun. Think for a brief moment and try to name one band in the mainstream or even kindie rock world that has written such a song. Can’t think of one? Exactly. Holloway sings over Bischoff’s infectious 2/4 disco-style beat, “Just got a new kid/A new kid at school/He’s a little bit different/But a lot of bit cool/He’s not from around here/He’s from far away/Doesn’t speak the language/But you really oughtta hear him say his penguinese. The sound effect in the background that is apparently supposed to be a penguin “talking” adds to the song’s hilarity and creativity. Holloway goes on to sing of the penguin, “Folks don’t understand him/He don’t act like they do/Take a look in his lunchbox/And they give a big “Ewwwww/But he’s a snappy dresser/With a tux every day/He doesn’t speak the language/But you really oughtta hear him speak his penguinese.” The recorders (yes, the band even uses recorders in this song. That’s just as original) somehow work in some odd way. Who would have thought? Recorders actually serving a real musical purpose. It’s okay to laugh. Don’t be ashamed. It’s so nonsensical yet so fun that listeners of all ages will find themselves unable to deny just how fun it is. In having to admit how fun it proves to be, listeners will agree that it is one more example of what makes Hot Air one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date. It also shows itself to be one of the best of the album’s songs overall.

Both ‘Thunder & Lightning’ and ‘Penguinese’ are high points to Hot Air in their own right as well as points proving why Hot Air is one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date. They are just a couple of examples of what makes this album so enjoyable, too. The album’s penultimate opus ‘Oh Lando,’ which is a direct tribute to George Lucas’ classic Star Wars franchise, is another of the album’s high points. It is also one more prime example of what makes Hot Air one of Recess Monkey’s best records to date. Yet again, how many bands out there either the world of kindie rock or mainstream music have crafted any songs in tribute to one of science fiction’s greatest properties? Exactly. For that reason alone, grown-ups will want to hear this song just as much as their younger counterparts. The song, which centers on the events that happen in Cloud City in Star Wars: Episode V–The Empire Strikes Back. The song’s bass-driven musical side is infectious and will instantly have listeners tapping their toes. Considering that Disney is preparing to release the next chapter in the Star Wars franchise this winter, it makes this song a fitting way to remind audiences of where the Star Wars franchise has come from as audiences prepare to see where it is going. It is original. And it is fun. Ergo, it is one more great addition to Recess Monkey’s new album and yet more proof of why Hot Air is one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date. Set alongside the likes of ‘Thunder & Lightning’ and ‘Penguinese,’ all three songs show in their own right why Recess Monkey remains one of the best acts in the world of kindie-rock today. That is not to discount the album’s other tracks by any means. ‘Hand Me Downs’ lets listeners know it’s okay to have hand me downs. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in wearing them. The Benny Goodman-esque clarinet work on ‘Carry A Tune’ is sure to impress jazz lovers. And the indie rock style of ‘Lighter Than Air’ coupled with its bright lyrics about soaring among the clouds will put just as much of a smile on listeners’ faces. Whether for those songs, the compositions more directly noted here or any of the album’s other tracks not noted here, it can be said with ease that considering each of the album’s tracks, Hot Air is full of anything but hot air. It is one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date and one of the best new children’s albums of 2015.

Hot Air proves from start to finish to be one of Recess Monkey’s best albums to date and one of the best new children’s alums of 2015. That is thanks in large part to the creativity and originality displayed throughout the course of the album’s fifteen tracks and thirty-eight minutes. It is available now in stores and online, and can be purchased online via Recess Monkey’s online store at http://www.recessmonkeytown.com. More information on Hot Air is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and tour schedule updates online now at:

Shout! Factory Kids will release the latest addition to its kid friendly Transformers series Transformers Rescue Bots this Tuesday, February 10th. Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is the sixth of the series’ collections released by Shout! Factory Kids and Hasbro Studios. Five previous collections having already been released, it is common sense that this DVD is just as worth the watch as the series’ previously released compilations. The central reason that it proves to be just as worth the watch as its predecessors is the collection of episodes chosen for the single-disc presentation. Six more episodes have been culled for the set starting with the series premiere “Family of Heroes.” The set also pulls in a second episode from Season One in the form of “Return of the Dinobot” that presents a Dinobot unlike anything most audiences know of from the Transformers’ previous incarnations. There is also a two-part episode from Season 2 and a pair of stand-alone episodes also from Season 2 to complement. All six episodes together make for plenty of enjoyment for Transformers fans of all ages. The same can be said of the writing behind each episode. Whether in the series premiere, the included two-part episode from Season 2, or for the remaining pair of episode, the writing in these episodes is to thank for their enjoyment. And last but hardly least worth noting of these episodes is work of the series’ all-star cast. Veteran actors LeVar Burton (Star Trek The Next Generation, Reading Rainbow, Captain Planet and the Planeteers), Jason Marsden (The Fairly Oddparents, The Garfield Show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold), and Mauriche LeMarche (The Simpsons, Futurama, Animaniacs) are joined by the likes of Parvesh Cheena (Outsourced, Sean Saves the World, A To Z), Steve Blum (Digimon: Digital Monsters, The Boxtrolls, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie), and Elan Garfias (Handy Manny, Chowder, Ni Hao Kai-Lam) among other names. And the interpretation of the episodes’ scripts rounds out the reasons that these episodes are so enjoyable. Regardless of the cast members’ level of experience, nothing but professionalism was shown in each episode, making easier suspension of disbelief and in turn the overall enjoyment of the episodes. By itself, the work of the cast in each of these episodes makes for its own level of enjoyment among audiences. Together with the work of the series’ writers and those charged with assembling the episodes, all three elements make Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure a great adventure for Transformers fans of all ages.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is not the first collection of episodes that Shout! Factory Kids has released from Discovery Family’s family friendly update on Hasbro’s classic franchise following everyone’s favorite robots in disguise. It is however a fully enjoyable collection of episodes. It is a fully enjoyable collection both for those that are and those that are not so familiar with the series. The central reason for that enjoyment is the collection of episodes pulled for the DVD. Regardless of audiences’ familiarity with the series, every one of the series’ fans finally gets to see how the series started thanks to the inclusion of its premiere episode to open the whole thing. Audiences also get to see the writers’ vision of at least one of the legendary Dinobots as well as other early adventures of the Rescue Bots. The collection in whole offer loads of action and laughs for Transformers fans of all ages. The episodes by themselves offer loads of action and laughs for the whole family. That is thanks to the adventures that make up each episode. Keeping in that vein, the writing behind each of the episodes is to thank for making each episode so enjoyable.

The writing that went into each of the episodes on this DVD is just as noteworthy as the episodes themselves in considering what makes it so enjoyable. One way in which the writing proves so important is in the series’ premiere episode “Family of Heroes.” Audiences will note in this episode that at least one of the Rescue Bots—Heatwave—is not instantly fond of being on Earth. As a matter of fact, he would much rather take a mission on another planet than deal with humans who want to control them. Obviously they aren’t really trying to control the Rescue Bots. And eventually, Heatwave overcomes his mistrust as Cody and his family prove that they can be trusted. Yes, it’s a tried and true story element used in so many other series and movies. But especially in the case of this series, it’s interesting to see that things don’t start out with a full-on “happy-happy-joy-joy” vibe for the Rescue Bots or for the humans in terms of their relationship. It is just one example of why the writing in these episodes makes them so enjoyable. The writing in the two-part episode “What Lies Below”/”What Rises Above” is another good example of why the writing behind the episodes makes them so enjoyable. It could even be argued to be the best example of the disc’s episodes in terms of its writing. That is because of the amount of material that went into the episode in whole. Chief Burns and his brother Woodrow (voiced here by Mark Hamill—Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series, Codename: Kids Next Door) have to come to terms with the tensions built between them ever since their childhood. At the same time, Heatwave exhibits his own personal growth as the leader of the Rescue Bots as he and Optimus Prime work to get back to the others and get out of the volcano. At the same time, the writers pay tribute to Jules Verne in this episode as a hidden prehistoric world is discovered along the way. Through the whole story, none of the noted elements overpowers the other. The end result is a story that easily keeps viewers fully engaged, wondering what will happen next. The writers’ tackling of myths in “In Search of the Griffin’s Nest” and the classic theme of AI becoming sentient (and dangerously so at that) in “Movers and Shakers” is as enjoyable as any sci-fi story. Whether for the solid work on the DVD’s included two-part episode, the series’ premiere, or even that in “In Search of the Griffin’s Nest,” the writing behind the episodes included on Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure shows time and again why it is so pivotal to the overall enjoyment of the DVD. Together with the episodes selected for the compilation, both elements strengthen even more the argument in favor of this latest addition to the series’ already-released compilations.

The episodes tapped for inclusion on Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure and the writing behind each episode make a strong argument in favor of this new DVD. The work of the series’ voice cast is just as worth mentioning in the overall enjoyment of these episodes. From the series premiere to the episodes that followed, the chemistry and professionalism between the cast is obvious. Considering the cast’s collective years of experience, that should come as no surprise. That’s especially the case with lead stars Jason Marsden and Mauriche LeMarche. Marsden, who voices lead character Kade Burns, and LeMarche, who voices Kade’s father Chief Charlie Burns, breeze through their roles. The same can be said of fellow veteran LeVar Burton as he voices supporting character Doc Greene. Even young Elan Garfias (Cody Burns) impresses in his own right. While Garfias might not have the years of experience as Burton, LaMarche, and Marsden, he still shines as the voice of Cody. He handles his role in every episode with the ease and professionalism of a seasoned veteran. And together with his older, more experienced co-stars–including those not noted here–the group as a whole proves to be the perfect choice for each role. The choices paid off in spades, too with each cast member alone and together keeping viewers just as fully engaged with its work as the stories behind each episode. It is the last part of the DVD’s whole that makes it so enjoyable for Transformers fans of all ages. Together with the work of the show’s writers and those tapped to select the DVD’s episodes, all three elements together show in full why Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is yet another great collection of episodes from what is one of the greatest incarnations of the Transformers.